Five Flavors of Dumb - Antony John [71]
I caught Cassie’s eye in the mirror. “You look incredible,” she said.
“I know,” I assured her, and it didn’t even feel like bragging. “Be honest, though. Do you think I’m going to like this look a year from now?”
She replaced the hairdryer in its holder with the utmost care. “Does it matter?”
I thought about that for a moment. “Well, I guess I don’t want to believe that this is just a stage, you know? That next month I’ll wake up and say, ‘That’s not me at all.’”
Cassie leaned forward like she was about to divulge a secret. “Honestly, one day you will wake up and say that. And no matter what godforsaken mess Kallie ends up with today, she will too. And so will Tash, and everyone else who comes in here. But you’re worrying about the wrong thing. Don’t worry about wanting to change; start worrying when you don’t feel like changing anymore. And in the meantime, enjoy every version of yourself you ever meet, because not everybody who discovers their true identity likes what they find.”
By the time Cassie removed my cape and brushed away stray hairs, Tash and Kallie had joined us, and Cassie didn’t need to say a word for us to know what she thought of Tash’s effort. Kallie’s hair was shorter by a few inches, the cut unkempt and the blond streaks uneven. Yet through it all she smiled like I’d never seen her smile before. All I wanted to do was capture the moment forever: the image of Tash and Kallie, arm in arm; the discovery that Kallie’s beauty radiated from a place that had nothing whatever to do with clothes and makeup.
We hugged then, all four of us, and the tears that followed were the happiest of my life.
CHAPTER 39
I knew the euphoria would end the moment my parents saw me, so I hung out with Tash and Kallie for a couple more hours before driving them home. It was almost dark when I got back, and the front door opened as I pulled up. I honestly believe Mom and Dad would have attacked me as I left the car if it hadn’t been so cold outside. I braced myself for their latest offensive.
Instead, entire seconds passed while they stared unblinkingly at my hair. If it was supposed to make me feel uncomfortable, it was working really well.
Eventually Mom shook her head, dragging herself out of the trance. “The school called,” she trilled. “I’d ask where you’ve been, but I think that’s obvious.”
You like it? I signed, even swallowing my fear long enough to produce a wide smile.
“Don’t get smart with me. And don’t think we’re signing right now. I want your dad to hear every word of this conversation.”
I snorted. “Oh, that’s right. Let’s not make the poor hearing people suffer.”
“Don’t you—” began Mom, but then she stood up straighter and took a calming breath. “Get over yourself, Piper. You’re not the victim today.”
“And you are?”
“You skipped an entire afternoon of school! I don’t even know what to say to you anymore. Ever since you got in with this band, you’re behaving like you’re on drugs. Are you on drugs?”
“God, no,” I groaned, wondering how she could be so off-target, so willfully ignorant of what was really going on.
“Well, what other explanation is there? You fight on live television. You skip school. You’re rude and obnoxious. You cut off your hair and dye it pink. I mean, didn’t you get the message? It’s too late to start rebelling in senior year.”
“I’m not rebelling,” I said calmly.
Mom bristled. “Of course not. It’s perfectly rational to want to look trashy—”
“That’s enough, Lynn!”
I’d forgotten Dad was there until he spoke, matching Mom’s pent-up anger step-for-step.
“No, Ryan, it’s not nearly enough. I want answers. For a start, I want to know who gave Piper permission to leave school in the first place, because it sure wasn’t me.” She swung around to face me, waiting for the answer she knew would establish my guilt once and for all.
I turned